A Grand Night for Singing: History and Key Facts

A Grand Night for Singing is a musical revue showcasing the music of Richard Rodgers and the lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II. The show had an original cabaret production and a subsequent Broadway engagement where it was nominated for two Tony® Awards.

Featuring songs from Carousel, Oklahoma!, The King and I, South Pacific, Cinderella, The Sound of Music, Allegro, Me and Juliet, State Fair, Pipe Dream and Flower Drum Song, it originally was presented at Rainbow & Stars, the cabaret venue at The Rainbow Room restaurant atop Rockefeller Center.

The original production titled, "A Grand Night For Singing! The Rodgers & Hammerstein Revue Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their Historic Collaboration," (www.AGrandNightForSinging.com) ran for 1 preview plus 60 performances from March 2, 1993 to April 10, 1993 at Rainbow & Stars where The New York Times called the show a "radiant new revue" and a "musical masterstroke." This original production starred Victoria Clark, Jason Graae, Martin Vidnovic, Lynne Wintersteller, and Karen Ziemba with musical direction by Fred Wells and direction by Walter Bobbie. It was part of a ten year series of musical revues conceived and produced by Gregory Dawson, Steve Paul, and Scott Perrin which saluted Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart (starring Elaine Stritch and Margaret Whiting), Irving Berlin (starring Kaye Ballard), the Gershwins (starring JoAnne Worley), Julie Styne, Lerner & Loewe, Leonard Bernstein, and the R&B and pop eras (starring Marianne Faithfull and Darlene Love).

During the six week run at Rainbow & Stars, the United States Postmaster General introduced the Rodgers & Hammerstein 50th Anniversary commemorative postage stamp at a luncheon in The Rainbow Room. At the start of that luncheon, the original surrey with the fringe on top with two white horses - as described in the lyric of the Broadway musical, Oklahoma! - greeted guests at the Rockefeller Plaza entrance to The Rainbow Room. The publicist for the show, David Lotz, created a notable press release for that occasion with the headline, "Whoa! Here Come Those High-Steppin' Strutters!" In conjunction with all the festivities, there was significant national press attention commemorating the anniversary.

Source and attribution

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